Human Rights Watch Calls for UN Investigation into Killings by Ethiopian Army in Amhara
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged the United Nations to investigate the killings committed by the Ethiopian army in the conflict-ridden region of Amhara.
Deadly Incident in Merawi City
The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission reported that at least 45 people were killed on January 29 by government forces in Merawi city after clashes with the local militia, Fano.
According to testimonies collected by HRW, Ethiopian soldiers shot civilians on the streets and during house raids over a six-hour period after the Fano militia withdrew from Merawi. The soldiers also engaged in pillaging and destroying civilian property.
Call for Independent Inquiry
HRW has called on the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to launch an independent inquiry into the abuses in the region. The NGO also urged the African Union to suspend deployments of Ethiopian federal forces to peacekeeping missions until commanders responsible for grave abuses are held accountable.
Continued Violence and Impunity
Laetitia Bader, HRW’s deputy Africa director, highlighted the Ethiopian government’s failure to ensure accountability for abuses by federal and regional forces, leading to ongoing cycles of violence and impunity. The deliberate killing of civilians has sadly become a daily occurrence in conflict zones in Ethiopia.
State of Emergency Extension
In early February, Ethiopia’s parliament extended a state of emergency in Amhara, the country’s second most populous region, in response to the Fano insurgency. The peace agreement signed in November 2022 between the government and dissident leaders of the Tigray region has left the Fanos and other Amharas feeling betrayed.
